1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to implementing a programmable chip. In one example, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for efficiently providing identification information on a programmable chip.
2. Description of Related Art
Hardware devices such as programmable logic chips can include a variety of standardized components, parameterizable components, and customized logic. Some of the components can be obtained from intellectual property (IP) core libraries. In many instances, a user selects components from an IP core library, provides parameters to customize various components, and adds customized logic. Logic is then passed to various synthesis and place and route tools before implementation on a programmable chip. The implemented device can include a variety of components and custom logic blocks.
However, mechanisms for determining the type of components and the parameter sets associated with the components on a programmable chip are limited. In some examples, few mechanisms are available to determine the version of a particular component on a device. Without identification information, the user has limited ways of knowing whether the correction component or system is being used. The user also has few mechanisms available to authenticate or verify a particular system configuration.
Consequently, it is desirable to provide improved methods and apparatus for identifying particular components implemented on a programmable chip.